Gestational Diabetes Could Increase CVD Risk

Women with a history of gestational diabetes have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life, but this risk could be mediated by a healthy lifestyle, according to a recent study.

For their study, the researchers examined biennial questionnaires completed by 89,479 women involved in the Nurses’ Health Study II who had reported at least 1 pregnancy and were without CVD and cancer at baseline (mean age 34.9 years). The questionnaires included behavioral characteristics, health outcomes, and lifestyle factors. The researchers used multivariable Cox models to assess the association between gestational diabetes and CVD risk.
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A total of 1161 incidents of non-fatal or fatal myocardial infarction or stroke were documented.

In analysis that adjusted for age, prepregnancy body mass index, and other covariates, the researchers found that gestational diabetes was associated with subsequent CVD. The hazard ratio (HR) for those with gestational diabetes compared with those without was 1.43. Weight gain since pregnancy and lifestyle factors were found to attenuate this association (HR. 1.29). 

“Gestational diabetes was positively associated with CVD later in life, although the absolute rate of CVD in this younger cohort of predominantly white women was low,” the researchers concluded. “This relationship is possibly mediated in part by subsequent weight gain and lack of healthy lifestyle.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Tobias DK, Stuart JJ, Li S, et al. Association of history of gestational diabetes with long-term cardiovascular disease risk in a large prospective cohort of US women [published online October 16, 2017]. JAMA Intern Med. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.2790.